Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Munster Cost of Living Comparison Between Ithaca, NY and Munster

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,218 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $2,343 in Munster, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,397 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $3,402 in Munster, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,576 per month in Ithaca, NY vs $4,460 in Munster, rent included.

Ithaca, NY is about 5% cheaper than Munster, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ithaca, NY and Munster sit above the global median – Ithaca, NY by 66%, Munster by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$14.05 €12.10

42.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$75.1 €64.6

-8.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$11.68 €10.06

-6.08%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$4.08 €3.51

22.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$4.19 €3.60

-32.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.68 €2.31

-29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.77 €4.97

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$4.55 €3.91

32.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.29 €1.11

-23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.19 €1.89

78.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.92 €3.37

42.86%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$4.05 €3.48

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$14.63 €12.60

-5.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$14.93 €12.86

-55.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 $15.01

$24.55 €21.14

-38.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.34 €2.88

36.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.80 €1.55

-11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.20 €1.90

108.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$5.30 €4.56

-5.47%

Potato (1kg)

$7.04 $7.04

$1.65 €1.42

326.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.58 €1.36

124.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.82 €1.57

58.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.00 €0.86

77.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.86 $8.86

$10.18 €8.76

-12.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 $13.79

$6.24 €5.37

120.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.12 €0.96

65.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.71 €1.47

137.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$3.21 €2.76

-53.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.56 $45.56

$55.9 €48.12

-18.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$4.77 €4.11

2.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$2.54 €2.19

-46.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.98 $26.98

$34.95 €30.10

-22.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.95 €1.68

-53.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.8K $29.8K

$31.9K €27.5K

-6.65%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$35.9K €30.9K

-27.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$137 $137

$415 €357

-67.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$47.48 $47.48

$25.79 €22.21

84.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$51.9 €44.66

26.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.94 $42.94

$41.87 €36.06

2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 €15.68

Cinema Ticket

$10.94 $10.94

$14.52 €12.51

-24.66%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,559 $1,559

$729 €627

113.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$14.2K €12.3K

98.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.80 $43.80

$113 €97.2

-61.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 $39.88

$46.46 €40.01

-14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$118 €102

-33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$140 €121

-26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,647 $1,647

$1,195 €1,029

37.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 $1,059

$878 €756

20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$2,369 €2,040

10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,860 $1,860

$1,435 €1,236

29.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,182 $2,182

$8,600 €7,406

-74.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 $2,137

$4,563 €3,929

-53.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,366 $3,366

$3,434 €2,957

-1.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

3.98

57.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ithaca, NY: June 2, 2026

Last update for Munster: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,647 in Ithaca, NY versus $1,195 in Munster. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Munster, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ithaca, NY versus $75.0 in Munster. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Ithaca, NY vs $371 in Munster – so Munster wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ithaca, NY vs Munster: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,218 in Ithaca, NY, $2,343 in Munster – roughly 6% apart. Munster costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,327 per month in Ithaca, NY and $3,515 in Munster. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ithaca, NY, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Ithaca, NY and $75.0 in Munster. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,218 in Ithaca, NY and $2,343 in Munster. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Ithaca, NY, where all-in costs run around $2,218, than in Munster at $2,343. In Ithaca, NY it covers expenses comfortably, while in Munster it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ithaca, NY – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ithaca, NY. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Munster makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.